Keys, to the intersection of the Stone Mountain and Lawrenceville roads for the purpose of assisting Brigadier-General Garrard to break the railroad, if he should need assistance. When the head of my column reached the road leading from McAfee's Bridge to Browning's Court-House, General Garrard had just arrived, moving in the direction of the railroad, some four miles distant. After his column passed, at the suggestion of the general commanding, I moved down within two miles of the railroad; then, as directed, sent one brigade of infantry, commanded by Brigadier-General Lightburn, to the railroad. He reports to me that he effectually destroyed some two miles of rail and ties of the road to within a short distance of Stone Mountain, burning water-tank, wood, &c. During the time that General Garrard and General Lightburn were destroyed the road in an easterly direction, Major Hotaling, of my staff, in charge of fifty mounted men, made up of the Eighth Indiana and my escort company, moved on the main Decatur road to within three miles of decatur, destroying two culverts and some small portion of the railroad track. In the march to and from the railroad to my present position no resistance was met anywhere that I could hear of. One prisoner was captured. He was quite unwell. I think quite a number would have been captured if we had found them, and all been in the same condition as this one. The loss in the whole command, so far as I can learn, is 1 horse with pains in his belly from eating green corn.

Respectfully,

JOHN A. LOGAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS LEFT WING, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, near Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 18, 1864.

Major General J. B. McPHERSON,

Commanding Department and Army of the Tennessee, in Field, Ga.:

GENERAL: Scout in from Atlanta. He left there this morning. Says the enemy were moving troops all night last night there; all the wagon trains were started off on the Augusta road; that Bate's division moved up on Peach Tree road and is intrenched on south side of that creek near Howell's Bridge; that the bridge is ready to be burned. He also reports one brigade of dismounted cavalry at Buck Head, prepared to contest our advance. This morning Bate's division was the extreme right of Johnston's infantry, and Kelly's division of cavalry on north side of Little Peach Tree between me and Buck Head. This agrees with report of rebel lieutenant captured by me this morning. This scout says it is the general talk that if Atlanta falls Polk's corps will go west toward West Point, while the remainder of Johnston's army will go toward August or Macon. On yesterday Hood had the left, Polk [Stewart] the center, and Hardee the right, the militia on the left. Johnston has received no re-enforcements up to to-day. The enemy are at work on their forts and intrenchments around Atlanta.

Dispatches from Richmond report their forces shelling Washington. Atlanta papers up to the 17th instant have nothing of interest in them. One editorial speculation on Sherman's probable movement thinks he may possibly move on Stone Mountain to force the evacuation of Atlanta.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. M. DODGE,

Major-General.

12 R R-VOL XXXVIII, PT V